The Foreign Service Journal, January 2011

a dedicated site for FSI. The result is seen today in the beautiful campus of the George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center in Arlington, Va., where the library bears his name. In pursuing the new campus, Steve was fond of declaring that if McDon- ald’s could have a Hamburger Univer- sity (a photograph of which he kept in his office), surely the U.S. foreign af- fairs community should have its own institute. Steve valued cooperation and rec- ognized that it was only through the support and collaboration of others — such as Ron Spiers, George Shultz, Brandon Grove and Representatives Frank Wolf, R-Va., and John Spratt, D-S.C., to name but a few — that a permanent home for FSI could be- come a reality. But he could also hold his ground out of deep conviction. When, for in- stance, at the end of an early discus- sion on relocating FSI he was outnumbered in opposing a move to another leased building, Steve de- clared, “I vote against, and the nays have it.” Similarly, in rejecting a proposal to locate the new campus at the north end of the Pentagon parking lot, he noted that he did not want his name to come up in the future when planes from National Airport took off over the site and students wondered, “Who was the bright guy who chose this idi- otic location?” After retiring from the Foreign Service in 1987, Steve continued his advocacy for a stronger foreign affairs community. He served as director of the Johns Hopkins University Gradu- ate School in Bologna for five years, then as president of the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training for another five. Steve had founded ADST, which is located on the NFATC campus, while serving as director of FSI to act as the institute’s channel to the private sector and help tell the Foreign Service story through oral histories, books and ex- hibits. He used his management skills and personal financial support to en- sure its growth and success. Telling the FS Story Today ADST has 1,650 interview transcripts in its growing collection on the Web site of the Library of Con- gress (www.frontiers.loc.gov/ammem/ collections/diplomacy/index.html) and has published 50 books, with more in production. Steve continued to be ac- tive on the association’s board for the 40 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 1 The National Museum of American Diplomacy I n November 2000, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright presided over a groundbreaking ceremony at the Department of State for a museum of American diplomacy, to be located in the newly renovated part of the headquarters on 21st Street NW. Am- bassador Stephen Low and Senator Charles (Mac) Mathias, R-Md., were both there to witness this milestone in their effort to raise the profile of U.S. diplomacy. In an article for the September 2004 FSJ , Amb. Low explained his motivation for pioneering this project. “Of all the memori- als and historical museums in this country, including some 220 administered by the federal government alone, not one focuses on our relations with the rest of the world or describes the proud record of American diplomacy. This sad situation reflects the fact that in our country diplomacy is neither highly valued nor well understood, and its contribution to the development of our modern nation is unappreciated,” he wrote. Turning to his vision for the museum, Amb. Low wrote: “In a city of museums, ours has to be compelling, first-class and state- of-the-art. I am convinced it will be among the finest. Through interactive media, the visitor center will spotlight the work of the Secretary of State and American diplomacy, and will explore the role of American diplomatic posts abroad. The public will learn what the Department of State and the other foreign affairs agencies have done and continue to do for the nation every day in help- ing to maintain security, promote prosperity, seek peace and expand American ideals.” The United States Diplomacy Center office at State was established in 2000 to oversee the project — known as the Depart- ment of State Visitor Center and National Museum of American Diplomacy — and has already collected 5,000 noteworthy arti- facts and created exhibitions that have toured the country. State, which will contribute space, staff and security for the center, has formed a public-private partnership with the nonprofit Foreign Affairs Museum Council, founded by Sen. Mathias, Amb. Low and others to realize the project, which has been endorsed by every living Secretary of State. The FAMC has raised an initial $1.25 million, and the next phase of the capital campaign to raise $50 million is under way. — Susan Brady Maitra, Senior Editor You have to have a lot of persist- ence. It isn’t enough that you have an idea, tell somebody “let’s do it,” and then go about your business. You’ll never get there unless you’re prepared to make it a priority in almost every- thing you do every day. You push very hard in every possible direction, and when you can’t succeed one way, you find another. — Amb. Stephen Low